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Government will back journalist shield laws

Two independents have won the support of the Federal Government to introduce stronger shield laws for journalists.

Independent MP Andrew Wilkie and Senator Nick Xenophon say the bill is based on the New Zealand system and would apply to federal laws.

The proposed shield laws would only require a journalist to reveal a source if it was deemed to be in the public interest and it outweighed the potential harm to the source.

Mr Wilkie was a whistleblower when he worked as a government intelligence analyst.

He says the laws could have helped him.

"People who have a legitimate need to go to the media, to blow the whistle, they should be protected, because at the end of the day whistleblowers are really a vital part of our form of democracy," he said.

"People who might be witness to misconduct need to be allowed, even encouraged, to get out there and tell their story and not be punished for it."

Senator Xenophon says if the bill is passed it will be an important change.

"To reveal a source not only do you have to show that it's in the public interest to reveal that source, but that it would also outweigh any harm to that source being revealed," Senator Xenophon said.

"That's a pretty heavy onus for anyone to discharge, so this is a substantial shift - a substantial change to the law."